Elizabeth Harris is an Australian retired stage and television actress who appeared on a number of popular television series and films from the mid-1960s up until her retirement in 1993. She is best known for her role as Liza in the 1960s children's television series '' Adventure Island'' but also for playing recurring characters Sally Dempster in ''

Prisoner A prisoner, also known as an inmate or detainee, is a person who is deprived of liberty against their will. This can be by confinement or captivity in a prison or physical restraint. The term usually applies to one serving a Sentence (law), se ...

'' and Clover Owen-Jones in ''

A Country Practice ''A Country Practice'' is an Australian television soap opera/serial which was broadcast on the Seven Network from 18 November 1981 until 22 November 1993, and subsequently on Network Ten from 13 April 1994 to 5 November 1994. Altogether, 14 ...

'' in her later career. She was also the wife of longtime Australian television and radio star

Leonard Teale Leonard George Thiele Officer of the Order of Australia, AO (26 September 192214 May 1994), professionally Leonard Teale, was an Australian actor of radio, television and film and radio announcer, presenter and narrator known for his resonant ...

. They married on 18 December 1968.

Biography

Harris made her television acting debut on '' Consider Your Verdict'' in 1962. From 1962 to 1966 she co-hosted an Australian version of ''

Video Village ''Video Village'' is an American television game show produced by Heatter-Quigley Productions, which aired on the CBS network in daytime from July 11, 1960, to June 15, 1962, and in primetime from July 1 to September 16, 1960. It was notable fo ...

'', with Danny Webb, on Channel 7. She was then cast in the children's television series ''

The Magic Circle Club ''The Magic Circle Club'' was an award-winning Australian children's television show, produced at ATV Channel 0 (now ATV-10) from 23 January 1965 to 1967. The program's style came from live pantomime and classic fairy tales. It often featured mu ...

'' as a recurring character (and later replacing original host Nancy Cato, who had been injured during production), and made several guest appearances on ''

Homicide Homicide is an act in which a person causes the death of another person. A homicide requires only a Volition (psychology), volitional act, or an omission, that causes the death of another, and thus a homicide may result from Accident, accidenta ...

'' between 1965 and 1966. She also starred in a second children's series, '' Adventure Island'' (1967) with co-stars Nancy Cato and

Ernie Bourne Ernest Alfred Bourne
''

Hunter Hunting is the human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, and killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to obtain the animal's body for meat and useful animal products ( fur/ hide, bone/tusks, ...

'' (1968). In July 1968, she also performed at St. Martin's Theatre with

Charles Chilton Charles Frederick William Chilton MBE (15 June 1917 – 2 January 2013) was a British presenter, writer and producer who worked on BBC Radio. He created the 1950s radio serials ''Riders of the Range'' and ''Journey into Space'', and also ...

Joan Littlewood Joan Maud Littlewood (6 October 1914 – 20 September 2002) was an English theatre director who trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and is best known for her work in developing the Theatre Workshop. She has been called "The Mother of M ...

and

Ted Allen Edward Reese Allen (born May 20, 1965) is an American author and television personality. He was the food and wine connoisseur on the Bravo (U.S. TV network), Bravo network's television program ''Queer Eye (2003 TV series), Queer Eye'', and has b ...

in a ''London Theatre Workshop'' stage production of ''

Oh, What a Lovely War! ''Oh, What a Lovely War!'' is an epic musical developed by Joan Littlewood and her ensemble at the Theatre Workshop in 1963. It is a satire on World War I, and by extension on war in general. The title is derived from the "somewhat satirical" ...

'' She took an absence from television acting for several years but made brief appearances on ''The 40s in Swing Time'' (1973), ''

Alvin Purple ''Alvin Purple'' is a 1973 Australian sex comedy film starring Graeme Blundell in the title role; the screenplay was written by Alan Hopgood and directed by Tim Burstall, through his production company Hexagon Productions and Village Road ...

'' (1976) and '' King's Men'' (1979). In 1982, she was cast as Sally Dempster in the series''

''. Although she appeared on the series briefly, Harris had a memorable role as an alcoholic wife of a businessman. Her character is sent to prison for running over her husband and attempts suicide after it is revealed that she was physically abusive to her young daughter. She also appeared on '' Sons and Daughters'' and ''

'' that same year. Her recurring role as Clover Owen-Jones in the latter series would continue on and off for the next nine years. Harris continued to make television appearances during the 1980s with supporting roles in television films '' Skin Deep'' (1984), '' Shout! The Story of Johnny O'Keefe'' (1985) and the television series '' Relative Merits'' in 1987. Her final television appearance was in '' G.P.'' in 1993. In January 2004, she appeared at a special book signing and screening of Lisa Milner's ''Fighting Films'' with Michael Craig and Jack Thompson. Her attendance was in honor of her late husband Leonard Teale who worked with the film company as a voice actor during the 1950s.

Filmography

Film

Television

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Harris, Liz Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Australian stage actresses Australian television actresses Actresses from Melbourne